Getting There: The ISEPTAPHILLY Blog

Route of the Week - 79

This week, we’re exploring the Route 79! The Route 79 is a former trackless trolley route and current bus route, running from 29th & Snyder to Columbus Commons. The Route 79 has been serving the Point Breeze and South Philadelphia neighborhoods since 1912.

On a typical weekday, the Route 79 makes 182 trips and carries 5,872 passengers. Its one-way route distance is 3 miles long, traveling 546 miles per day on average. The Route 79 is a SEPTA Night Owl Bus, running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sometime in the near future, Proterra electric buses will travel on the Route 79. The Routes 79 and 29 were chosen as the first routes to use these Proterra buses because of their short length and flat terrain. These battery-electric buses will enable SEPTA to significantly reduce both operating costs and its carbon footprint.

The Route 79 was established in 1912 as a trolley line. These streetcars ran on the Route 79 until 1956, when they were replaced by trackless trolley. Trackless trolleys ran until June 30, 2003, when they were replaced by diesel buses.